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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas in July...

You know that change in mood that comes with the brighter, happier, richer energy of the season? Do you ever stop and consider where in the heck that seemingly supernatural charge springs from? For me, Christmas, at its core, is a celebration of peace and love toward our fellow men. It's a cliche worth encouraging. And that feeling of well-being that pours forth this time of year is a kind of miracle in itself.

The holiday joy thing should really always be here, but, considering the way so many of us are programmed to see life, a lot of folks probably don't feel right partaking of so much good cheer unless it's uniformly expected and accepted by the majority. Really. We're trained to look upon a world full of suffering and feel guilt. Life is hard, after all. People are starving, bombs are exploding, nations are unraveling. What right do we have to be happy all year round anyway? I'd be willing to bet these beliefs cause us to repress a natural sense of joy simply from guilt.

The thing is, if you're living in a world where fate has landed you in a seemingly easier situation than a lot of your fellow humans, how in the heck does year-round cynicism help anything? Does moroseness eleven months out of the year really do a thing to improve the world's prospects? And why do we wait until December to show our truest, happiest, cheer-filled selves and shine our brightest lights, when these are the same light that change the world? I'm glad we display them so well during the holidays, don't get me wrong. I just figure that if we can access that feeling now, we can access it any time. We can step into that field of energy that is transforming and energizing and hopeful no matter what the calendar says. Why should this awesomeness only creep up on us once the Christmas carols start playing in the grocery store? It's odd, the way we restrict our own good.

When you hear someone saying you should keep the spirit of Christmas all the time, it's not just another bit of holiday lip service. It's a golden reality check. Consider the sensation of childlike joy, the pure happiness that comes from being reminded of the bliss of being together, of celebrating life and knowing joy for joy's sake. We want to be better people, do nicer things. But why just now? Why only for Christmas?

I'm not positive, but I'd be willing to bet it has something to do with the mass power of suggestion--the power of empowering. The world says it's okay to be happy and good, and so we're free to do so. But, you know, it's actually okay to be happy and good to each other in the middle of October, as well--heck, get crazy and spring for June, if you want to. Keep that feeling alive--not just during the holidays. It should be a goal worth reaching for, yes?

Regardless of your religious or non-religious affiliation, Christmas inspires the memory of a man who understood the concept of giving and love, forgiveness and peace and he wanted to express that with his life. He was an inspiring human being, just as each of us have the potential to be. Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Whatever-The-Heck-You-Want-To-Celebrate is the perfect time to re-ignite your passion for generous, spirited living. But they shouldn't be a box of time that have an end. Let's see if we can carry this season over to the next one. What do you think?